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Preeg, Blatt. Photo credits: Daniel Dubois

Women’s Tennis: Preeg, Blatt Undefeated in Fall Classic

The women’s team closed out the fall season with six out of eight singles wins at the SEC Fall Coaches Classic held at the University of Alabama. Freshman Chelsea Preeg and junior Hannah Blatt won their respective brackets with 3–0 records. Also winning in singles play were sophomore Courtney Ulery and freshmen Jackie Wu, Heather Steinbauer and Erica Robertson. In doubles play, Blatt and Ulery won their draw, as did Wu and junior Catherine Newman.

Photo credit: Daniel Dubois

Men’s Tennis: Zotov Nets Win

Sophomore Alex Zotov won his singles bracket title on the final day of the Crimson Tide Fall Championships in Tuscaloosa, Ala., with a 6–4, 4–6, 6–4 effort. Also advancing to the finals were freshman Alex DiValerio and junior James Moye.

Women’s Basketball: Risper Honored in California

Senior guard Jennifer Risper was honored in December when her No. 11 jersey was retired at Canyon Springs High School in Moreno Valley, Calif. As a high school senior, she helped lead the Canyon Springs Cougars to a 31–4 record and the school’s first section championship.

Molly Kinsella. Photo: Mason Hensley

Soccer: Women Improve in Winning Season

The Commodores finished the 2008 soccer season with a 9–8–2 overall record and 3–7–1 Southeastern Conference mark. They improved on a six-win season from the previous year despite battling injuries. Senior midfielder Katie Schulz, a three-time All-SEC selection, missed seven games due to a knee injury, and sophomore defender Mary Rachel Reynolds, a freshman All-SEC pick last year, played in just one game. The team will return eight starters, including the three top scorers and sophomore goalkeeper Rachel Bachtel, who finished with a 1.23 goals against average and nine career shutouts. Sophomore midfielder Molly Kinsella and freshman forward Candace West were named to the All-SEC team. Kinsella also was named to the Academic All-District IV team. She has a 3.81 grade point average in the College of Arts and Science.

Baseball: Minor on Major Lists

Junior pitcher Mike Minor has been named to the 2009 Preseason All-America second team by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. He also has been named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List, which recognizes the top collegiate baseball players in the country. Last season he tied for the team lead in wins with seven. Minor has a career record of 16–4 going into the 2009 season. He was an ace last summer with the USA Baseball National team that finished 24–0 and captured the FISU World Championships in the Czech Republic. Minor went 3–0 with a 0.75 ERA with 37 strikeouts and 13 walks in a team-high 36 innings. In September, Baseball America named him Summer Player of the Year. Two years ago former Vanderbilt pitcher David Price, now with the Tampa Bay Rays, won the Brooks Wallace Award after a 12–1 junior season.

Minor. Photo: Neil Brake

Swimming: Dillon Sets School Record

Freshman Lauren Dillon set a new Vanderbilt record in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:22:00 at the Hilltopper Invitational in November. The record previously was held by Susan Hahm, BE’89, who finished with a 2:22:95 time in 1989. “It’s exciting to see a freshman come in and see success this early in the year,” says Coach Jeremy Organ. Dillon is the second Vanderbilt freshman in consecutive seasons to set a school record. Last year, Leigh-Ann Axt set Commodore records in the 200-yard freestyle and 100- and 200-yard butterfly.

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